University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Louisiana Tech (DH)
Diamond Notes: Cajuns at Louisiana Tech
4/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
SEASON
QUICK FACTS...
Overall record:
35-4
Sun Belt Record: 3-0
Record Last 10 Games: 9-1
Current Streak: Won 7 (March 24-present)
Home Record: 12-1
Away Record: 11-1
Neutral Record: 12-2
Record vs. Midwest Region: 19-2
Record vs. Ranked Teams: 1-1
Current Rankings: No. 8 (NFCA); No. 7 (ESPN/USA
Softball)
GAMEDAY INFORMATION...
Dates: Wednesday,
April 14 – 4 p.m. (DH)
Location: Ruston, La.
Venue: Lady Techster Softball Complex (1,000)
The Teams: No. 8 Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns (35-4,
3-0 Sun Belt), Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (18-22, 5-5
WAC)
The Coaches: Louisiana-Lafayette - Stefni Lotief
(183-38, fourth season at UL Lafayette and overall);
Louisiana Tech – Sarah Dawson (34-64, 2nd season at La.
Tech and overall)
The Series: Cajuns lead 32-30 (18-15 in
Lafayette; 12-12 in Ruston; 2-3 neutral site)
The Last Meeting: Sunday, Feb. 15, 2004 – Cajuns
defeated La. Tech 11-1
The Last Time in Ruston: April 13-14, 2001 –
Cajuns swept La. Tech 4-0, 4-0, 4-1, 8-0
Cajuns Most Recently: Swept New Mexico State 7-2,
8-0 (5), 8-0 (5) – Saturday-Sunday, April 10-11
Lady Techsters Most Recently: Swept UTEP 12-6,
8-4 – Saturday, April 10, 2004
Cajuns Streak: Won 7
Lady Techsters Steak: Won 5
NOW BATTING...
The 8th-ranked Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team (35-4, 3-0 Sun Belt) closes out its current eight-game road trip Wednesday, April, 14 in a 4 p.m. doubleheader against homestanding-Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La.
The twinbill marks the first of the Cajuns final two non-conference doubleheaders remaining this season. Louisiana-Lafayette finishes regular season non-conference play next Wednesday when Texas A&M-Corpus Christi comes to town.
UL Lafayette will be making its first trip to Ruston since the 2001 season when the Cajuns swept a four-game, Sun Belt series from the Lady Techsters April 13-14, 2001 at the Lady Techster Softball Complex.
The Cajuns will bring a seven-game win streak into Wednesday's games having posted shutouts in five of the last seven games. UL Lafayette is currently 5-0 on the road swing after sweeping New Mexico State last weekend in the Sun Belt Conference-opening series.
Louisiana Tech brings a winning streak of its own into the twinbill. The Lady Techsters (18-22, 5-5 WAC) have won five straight after snapping a season-high seven-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Nevada April 3.
The two teams met earlier this season in the 18th Annual Louisiana Classics at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park with the Cajuns trouncing the Lady Techsters 11-1. Freshman Holly Tankersley, put on a show for the home folks, tossing six innings of two-hit softball in the circle and cranking a three-run home run at the plate.
The Cajuns come in as the highest ranked team in the NCAA Midwest Region (7th in ESPN poll, 8th in NFCA poll) for the third straight week.
Louisiana-Lafayette holds a 32-30 edge all-time in the series and is 7-0 against La. Tech under head coach Stefni Lotief.
The Ragin' Cajuns have won 11 straight meetings with the Lady Techsters and are 23-5 versus La. Tech since 1993. UL Lafayette has outscored the Techsters 60-2 in the last eight meetings.
ON DECK...
The Ragin' Cajuns return home to face their main competition in the Sun Belt Conference race – Florida International. FIU (22-23, 4-0 Sun Belt) comes to town this weekend for a four-game series April 17-18 at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park. The series will be the Sun Belt home opener for Louisiana-Lafayette.
THE SERIES – CAJUNS LEAD 32-30
One of the most competitive in-state series for the Cajuns softball program in the early stages of the rivalry, Louisiana-Lafayette has dominated the Lady Techsters over the past 11 years.
The Cajuns lead the series 32-30, but the edge can be a bit misleading.
Since 1993, Louisiana-Lafayette has won 23 of the 28 meetings between the two schools including the last 11. UL Lafayette is 7-0 under head coach Stefni Lotief against the Lady Techters.
The Ragin' Cajuns regained the series lead with an 8-0, 4-0 doubleheader sweep of La. Tech in last season's opener on Feb. 11.
La. Tech's last win came on April 25, 1998, a 3-1 win in Ruston.
Brooke Mitchell's first career no-hitter and perfect game came against Tech last season in the opening game of the twinbill.
Over the last eight meetings, the Cajuns have outscored La. Tech 60-2.
Wednesday's games will be the first in Ruston since April 14, 2001, when the Cajuns finished off a four-game, Sun Belt series sweep of Tech with a 4-1, 8-0 sweep.
The Cajuns are 12-12 all-time in Ruston and have won the last five meetings at the Lady Techster Softball Complex by a combined score of 32-2.
CAJUNS VS. LADY TECHSTERS LAST
11 GAMES (Cajuns lead 11-0)
Feb. 15, 2004 - @Cajuns
11, La. Tech 1
Feb. 11, 2003 - @Cajuns 4, La. Tech 0
Feb. 11, 2003 - @Cajuns 8, La. Tech 0
April 14, 2001 – Cajuns 8, @La. Tech 0
April 14, 2001 – Cajuns 4, @La. Tech 1
April 13, 2001 – Cajuns 4, @La. Tech 0
April 13, 2001 – Cajuns 4, @La. Tech 0
#April 28, 2000 - @Cajuns 16, La. Tech 0
March 14, 1999 - @Cajuns 10, La. Tech 0
March 14, 1999 - @Cajuns 5, La. Tech 3
April 25, 1998 – Cajuns 12, @La. Tech 1
COACHES VS. THE OPPOSITION
Louisiana-Lafayette head coach Stefni Lotief is 7-0 in her career versus Louisiana Tech. Lotief is 4-0 vs. Tech at the Lady Techster Softball Complex.
Louisiana Tech head coach Sarah Dawson, a former All-American pitcher at Louisiana-Monroe from 1994-97, is meeting the Ragin' Cajuns for the third time in her career and is 0-3 vs. the Cajuns.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK...
The Ragin' Cajuns extended their current winning streak to seven games with a three-game sweep of New Mexico State in last weekend's Sun Belt Conference-opening series…Junior ace hurler Brooke Mitchell picked up all three wins for the Cajuns, in abbreviated starts, combining for two shutouts while striking out 16 over 11 innings…The Cajuns offense racked up 10 home runs in the series with seven different players combining for the total…Junior shortstop Tiffany Hebert had arguably the best weekend of her career against the Aggies, going 5-for-7 at the plate (.714) with two home runs, four RBI and four runs scored…The Cajuns hit .346 for the weekend set with 13 extra base hits (3 doubles, 10 home runs) and outscored NMSU 23-2…Brooke Mitchell set her personal single-season best for victories with the win in game one of the series giving her 27 for the season…Mitchell's third win of the series moved her into the Top 5 on the single-season charts for victories and moved her within one of tying Jennifer Clendenin for fourth on the career charts…Freshman Desi Chatman hit her first career home run in the first game on Sunday…Lacey Bertucci, Ashley Evans, and Tiffany Hebert each hit two home runs…Heather Bobbitt combined with Brooke Mitchell for two shutouts, tossing six innings of relief and notching six strikeouts…Mitchell's eighth strikeout of the first game in the series helped the Cajuns set a new team record for strikeouts in a season, surpassing the old record of 403 set in 1993…The win in the third game of the series with NMSU was the program's 50th in Sun Belt competition.
HERE'S A STAT…
Since Brooke Mitchell is within days of setting the program record for career strikeouts, one needs this comparison between Mitchell and the current record holder, Kyla Hall, to appreciate and understand how dominant she has become.
It took Kyla Hall 132 appearances to reach 820 strikeouts and did so in her senior season in her final game as a Ragin' Cajun.
Brooke Mitchell will surpass Hall as a junior and is on pace to do so in her 103rd career appearance – which would be 29 fewer appearances than it took Kyla Hall.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
If the Cajuns were to win their remaining 20 regular season contests they would finish the season with a 55-4 record heading into the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
The win total would be two shy of the program record for wins which is 57 set in 1993 and 1994 and the Cajuns would have the opportunity to surpass the record in the SBC Tournament.
The most wins in the Lotief Era is 51 in 2001.
LIFE ON THE ROAD...
After enjoying the comforts of home for 10 of the season's first 16 games, the Cajuns have spent 20 of the last 23 outings away from the friendly confines of Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park, a span of six-plus weeks.
Louisiana-Lafayette enters Wednesday's doubleheader at Louisiana Tech finishing off its current eight-game road trip and sports a 5-0 record (Sunday's second game at New Mexico State was rained out).
UL Lafayette is 11-1 on the opponent's home field this season and 12-2 on a neutral field for a 23-3 record away from home.
CAJUNS IN THE POLLS...
The Cajuns continued their stronghold in both national polls released last week.
In the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 the Cajuns are currently ranked No. 7 which makes them the highest ranked team in the NCAA Midwest Region. The Cajuns were ranked ahead of Washington, Stanford, Michigan, Alabama and Tennessee for the second straight week.
In the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 poll, Louisiana-Lafayette remained where it began the season – ranked No. 8. – for the second straight week as well.
The ESPN.com/USA Softball poll is released weekly on Tuesday afternoons while the NFCA poll is slated for release on Wednesday mornings.
DOUBLEHEADER DELIGHT...
Dating back to a doubleheader spilt at UL Monroe on April 24, 2002, the Cajuns have swept 28 of their last 31 doubleheaders.
UL Lafayette has swept 47 of 55 doubleheaders under Stefni Lotief, since 2001. In Sun Belt play, the Cajuns have swept 21 of the 25 doubleheaders they have been involved in.
So far this season, the Cajuns have swept all five doubleheaders that they've been involved in sweeping Nicholls State (Feb. 18 & March 24), UL Monroe (Feb. 25), Northwestern State (March 31) and New Mexico State (April 10).
The Cajuns have 10 twinbills remaining this regular season (8 in Sun Belt play).
CAJUNS VS. MIDWEST REGION TEAMS…
Louisiana-Lafayette's sweep of New Mexico State last weekend improved the Cajuns to 19-2 versus teams competing within the NCAA Midwest Region. Since losing to Texas State on March 16, the Cajuns have won seven straight against MW Region opponents.
Of the Cajuns remaining 20 regular season contests, 16 will be against teams that comprise the Midwest Region with Wednesday's doubleheader at Louisiana Tech and next Wednesday's with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi not counting toward the Midwest Region record.
The Midwest Region includes teams from the Big 12, Missouri Valley, Southland and Sun Belt Conferences.
Games against teams from the MW Region will go a long way in determining the Cajuns status for the NCAA Regionals, considering the fact that the Sun Belt has no automatic bid.
CAJUNS VS. LOUISIANA TEAMS…
Wednesday's twinbill will be the Cajuns 16th and 17th games against in-state foes this season.
UL Lafayette is 14-1 versus teams from Louisiana this season.
Historically, the Cajuns have dominated their in-state competition. UL Lafayette owns a winning record against each team in the state except for I-10 rival Louisiana State University.
Louisiana-Lafayette is 417-121 (.775) all-time against Louisiana schools that sponsor softball.
UL Lafayette is 56-9 (.862) against Louisiana teams under head coach Stefni Lotief.
The La. Tech doubleheader marks the Cajuns final two games against Louisiana teams this season.
BROOKE MITCHELL NAMED TOP 25 FINALIST FOR USA SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD…
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns junior ace pitcher Brooke Mitchell joined elite company on Wednesday as she was one of the 25 players selected as a Top 25 finalist for the 2004 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, as announced by The Amateur Softball Association.
The award, which is considered the Heisman Trophy in women's collegiate softball, is the only national player of the year award given annually to collegiate softball's top player. It is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.
The list is comprised of 25 players that represent 18 colleges and six different Conferences. Mitchell was the lone representative from the Sun Belt Conference.
Mitchell joins former Louisiana-Lafayette All-American Alana Addison as Cajun players to be named to the list. Addison was a finalist during the 2002 season.
From this initial list, the ASA will narrow it down to 10 players by April 28. Then on May 11, the three finalists for the award will be determined and the winner will be announced May 26 at the opening ceremonies of the NCAA College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
The winner will be recognized and presented with the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year trophy during the ASA National Council meeting in Mobile, Ala., in November.
A replica of the award will be placed in a permanent display in the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, along with photos of the winner. An additional replica of the award will be presented to the player's academic institution
The 2004 top 25 Finalists include:
Monica Abbott, Tennessee
Nicole Barber, Georgia
Autumn Champion, Arizona
Christina Clark, Fresno State
Leigh Ann Ellis, South Florida
Keira Goerl, UCLA
Holly Groves, South Florida
Alicia Hollowell, Arizona
Peaches James, Nebraska
Lauren Lappin, Stanford
Jessica van der Linden, Florida State
Caitlin Lowe, Arizona
Monica Hoffman, Oregon State
Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi State
Brooke Mitchell, Louisiana-Lafayette
Stephanie Ramos, UCLA
Kristen Rivera, Washington
Heather Scaglione, Oklahoma
Kristin Schmidt, LSU
Dana Sorensen, Stanford
Jamie Southern, Fresno State
Cristin Vitek, Baylor
Kim Wendland, Georgia
Haley Woods, California
Phelan Wright, Arizona State
BROOKE MITCHELL CLAIMS ANOTHER SUN BELT WEEKLY AWARD…
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana-Lafayette junior ace hurler Brooke Mitchell added another gem to her stash of honors this season when she was named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday.
The 2004 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award finalist picked up her league-high seventh honor for her efforts in leading the eighth-ranked Ragin' Cajuns (35-4, 3-0 Sun Belt) to three wins this past weekend at New Mexico State.
The Cajuns have now won 33 weekly honors in three-plus seasons under former Ragin' Cajuns All-American and current head coach Stefni Lotief. Louisiana-Lafayette has now picked up 10 weekly awards this season including seven of the nine pitcher awards handed out.
The Pasadena, Texas, native has now won the weekly award 10 times in her career.
Mitchell picked up all three wins for the Cajuns this past weekend at New Mexico State increasing her season win total to 29 and her personal winning streak to seven games. Her overall record now stands at 29-3 and her ERA a microscopic 0.56.
Her win in the first game of the series set her personal single-season best and the win in the third game moved her into the Top 5 on the single-season charts and within one of fourth on the career list.
She tossed 11 innings versus the Aggies, allowing just four hits while striking out 16 in abbreviated appearances. The Pasadena, Texas, native combined with freshman Heather Bobbitt for two shutouts and held the Aggies to a .114 batting average.
The right-handed hurler did not allow an eared run as she extended her streak of consecutive innings without an earned run allowed to 24 2/3 innings.
Mitchell's fourth strikeout of the second game Saturday against NMSU was the 800th of her career making her just the second pitcher in program history to reach 800 strikeouts.
She currently has 804 career whiffs and needs 16 to tie Kyla Hall's career record of 820 set from 1991-94.
2004 LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
SOFTBALL WEEKLY HONORS
Hitter of the Week
Feb. 17 - Holly Tankersley
March 2 - Holly Tankersley
April 5 – Holly Tankersley
Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 17 - Brooke Mitchell
Feb. 24 - Brooke Mitchell
March 2 - Brooke Mitchell
March 9 - Brooke Mitchell
March 22 - Brooke Mitchell
April 5 – Brooke Mitchell
April 12 – Brooke Mitchell
THE LAST TIME OUT…April 11, 2004 at New Mexico State
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The home run parade was in full swing here Easter Sunday morning at Presley Askew Field.
No. 8 Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team hit four home runs and scored at least one run in each inning of play en route to posting an 8-0 five-inning, run rule rout of New Mexico State in the third game of the squads' Sun Belt Conference-opening series.
Four players combined for the Ragin' Cajuns' home runs including three in the first two innings. Louisiana-Lafayette (35-4, 3-0 Sun Belt) picked up eight hits along the way to posting its seventh straight victory.
Brooke Mitchell and Heather Bobbitt combined for the one-hit shutout. Mitchell fanned three batters while Bobbitt struck out two.
Mitchell picked up her 29th win of the season moving her into the Top 5 on the all-time single-season victories list. The win was the 75th of her career moving her within one of tying Jennifer Clendenin for fourth on the career list.
The win was the program's 50th in Sun Belt competition and improved the Cajuns to 16-0 all-time against NMSU (9-33, 0-3 Sun Belt).
Louisiana-Lafayette put runs on the board in the first and second innings to open a 3-0 lead. The Cajuns bats, which hit five home runs in Saturday's second game, picked up right where they left off.
Holly Tankersley began the Cajuns home run parade in the top of the first when she belted one high and deep over the right field wall .
UL Lafayette added two more home runs in the second. Lacey Bertucci opened the inning with a home run against the wind that landed beyond the left center field wall for a 2-0 edge.
Junior shortstop Tiffany Hebert collected her second home run of the series and third of the season when she went opposite field with a high fly ball that dropped over the right field wall.
Hebert's home run was enough damage for NMSU head coach Kathy Rodolph to yank starting pitcher Jennifer Bride from the circle. Left-handed hurler Lindsay Ashley relieved Bride and escaped further damage striking out Hillary Guidry looking and inducing a ground out by Danyele Gomez after Tankersley walked.
Ashley's struggles to find the strike zone in the third led to the Cajuns adding one more run in the frame. Pinch hitter Leslie Pierce was hit by a pitch and Brittany Bryant drew a walk to give the Cajuns two runners on with no outs.
Joy Webre drove home Pierce with the Cajuns fourth run of the contest when she sent a single down the left field line. Webre tried to extend it into a double, but Bryant was sent back to second base on the relay and Webre was thrown out attempting to return to first.
The Aggies avoided further damage in the inning when Ashley induced ground outs from Bertucci and pinch hitter Desi Chatman.
Mitchell continued to cruise through the Aggies lineup striking out two in the third to keep NMSU off the board. Only one batter that made contact was able to push the ball out of the infield – a leadoff single in the first from Veronica Owens.
Louisiana-Lafayette took advantage of two NMSU errors in the fourth, producing three more runs to increase the lead to 7-0.
Hebert led off the inning with a bunt single and later stole second. Guidry shoved a grounder to Cassandra Gonzales at third base, but the throw was high and sailed over the reach of first baseman Sarah Stansberry allowing Hebert to round third for a score.
Guidry stole second and Tankersley drew a walk to give the Cajuns two baserunners. Both would move up on a wild pitch and Guidry scored the Cajuns second run of the inning on an error by Gonzales at third on a grounder from Gomez.
Tankersley finished off the scoring when she reached home on a passed ball that gave Louisiana-Lafayette a 7-0 lead.
UL Lafayette made it every inning with at least one run scored when true freshman Desi Chatman hit the Cajuns fourth home run of the game. The home run was Chatman's first of her career, but more importantly gave the Cajuns the eight-run margin they needed to force the mercy rule and end the game early.
LAST TIME VS. LA. TECH…Feb. 15, 2004 at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park
LAFAYETTE – Holly Tankersley proved her worth in the final game of the 18th Annual Louisiana Classics softball tournament here Sunday evening at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park.
The freshman from Kirbyville, Texas, put on a show for the home folks, tossing six innings of two-hit softball in the circle and cranking a three-run home run at the plate in leading No. 9 Louisiana-Lafayette (6-1) to an 11-1 win over Louisiana Tech (4-5).
Tankersely, who finished the tournament 4-for-8 at the plate with three home runs on Sunday alone, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
With the win, UL Lafayette won its fourth straight game overall and its seventh straight Louisiana Classics championship.
Fellow freshman Lacey Bertucci joined Tankersley with team-high honors for RBI with three. Bertucci was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in the third inning that broke open a 1-0 game.
After two innings of scoreless ball, Louisiana-Lafayette broke through in the top of the third with a three-spot.
Hillary Guidry was hit by a pitch from Blodgette with one out. She then advanced to second on a passed ball.
Sophomore Danyele Gomez then laced a double down the left field line bringing home Guidry for the first run of the game.
Two batters later, Bertucci dumped a towering shot over the right center field wall to push the Cajuns lead to 3-0.
UL Lafayette would push across two more runs in the fifth inning getting an RBI single from Bertucci and a bases loaded walk by Leslie Pierce.
Tankersley continued to shut down the Lady Techsters batting order during the first five innings. After a one-out double by Jessica Elson in the bottom of the first, Tankersley retired 15 straight batters issuing no walks.
La .Tech broke up the shutout bid with one out in the sixth inning as nine-hole hitter Case Reiff ripped a home run into the left field bleachers for the Lady Techsters lone run of the contest.
The wheels came off for the Lady Techsters in the seventh inning as Louisiana-Lafayette ambushed them with a six-spot to create the final winning margin of 10 runs.
All of the runs came off of Tech reliever Sabra Warner, who relieved Blodgette in the fifth.
SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH…
In the midst of a five-game Western Athletic Conference winning streak, the Louisiana Tech softball team will play out-of-conference this week.
The Techsters (18-22, 5-5 WAC), who currently own the WAC's longest winning streak at five games after sweeping four road contests this past weekend, will play four home games in two days.
Tech will host UL Lafayette in a 4 p.m. Wednesday doubleheader and Nicholls State in a 5 p.m. Thursday doubleheader.
The Techsters were scheduled to face Centenary on Tuesday in a 6 p.m. single game, but the game was canceled after rain showers on Monday made field conditions unplayable.
After struggling offensively for much of the season, Louisiana Tech's bat came alive this past weekend as the Lady Techsters outscored San Jose State and UTEP 27-13 in four games.
Brittany Stanley (.355, 14 SBs), Amber Miles (.326, 16 SBs), Bridget Broadnax (.314, 12 RBI) and Mary Cohn (.300, 4 doubles) continue to be Tech's most productive offensive players with Miles and Stanley ranking No. 1 and 2 in the WAC in stolen bases.
Marla Pinkston (10-14, 1 save, 1.89 ERA), Kristin Blodgette (3-2, 2 saves, 2.24 ERA), and Lindsey Meadows (2-2, 3 saves, 2.87 ERA) are Tech's top three pitchers.
Tech snapped a season-high seven-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Nevada on April 3 and went on the road last week and swept doubleheaders at San Jose State and UTEP. The Techsters piled up 47 hits on the road swing.
For the season, La. Tech is hitting .264 with 39 doubles, 10 triples and 11 home runs. No player on the roster has hit more than two homers.
Pitching-wise, Tech has a staff ERA of 2.43 led by Pinskston's 1.89 mark.
Pinkston leads the staff with 109 strikeouts, but has been victimized by walking 62 batters.
The Techsters have been using a Pinkston-Blodgette rotation in their doubleheaders.
THE FLAME THROWER...
Junior pitcher Brooke Mitchell has fanned opposing batters at an alarming rate this season and is showing no ill-effects from her bicep injury suffered at the end of the Cajuns postseason run last season.
Mitchell has 361 strikeouts this season in 33 appearances - that's an average of over 12 strikeouts per game.
She has tallied at least five (5) strikeouts in 59 of her last 74 appearances and has 31 double-digit strikeout performances, all dating back to last season.
The Pasadena, Texas, native had a stretch earlier this season from Feb. 8 through Feb. 21 where she had double-digit strikeouts in eight straight appearances.
The week of Feb. 16-22, Mitchell tossed two no-hitters, six victories and had 74 strikeouts in 42 innings of work and had the honor of being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Mardi Gras Classic hosted by Louisiana-Lafayette Feb. 20-22.
The right-handed hurler has posted double-digit strikeouts in 20 of her 31 starts this season and notched 15 strikeouts in six innings of relief against Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, Feb. 21 to give her a total of 21 double-digit strikeout games this season.
Five (5) times she has struck out 15 and twice struck out 16.
She set the school record for strikeouts in a game when she fanned 22 batters in a nine-inning, no-hitter of Nevada Saturday, Feb. 28 at the McNeese Cowgirl Classic.
At the KIA Klassic, she broke the single-season strikeout record she set last season with her 280th strikeout in the Princeton game.
Last season, she broke the previous single-season record of 256 strikeouts, set by Cheryl Longeway in 1995, with 279 strikeouts and averaged 8.84 strikeouts per game – another school record.
BROOKE MITCHELL'S
DOUBLE-DIGIT STRIKEOUT PERFORMANCES
2/7/04 vs. Kentucky
12K
2/8/04 at UL Monroe 12K
2/14/04 vs. McNeese 11K
2/15/04 vs. Northwestern St. 16K
2/18/04 at Nicholls State 12K (no-hitter)
2/18/04 at Nicholls State 12K
2/20/04 vs. Texas Tech 15K
2/21/04 vs. SE Louisiana 15K (six innings in relief)
2/21/04 vs. Missouri 12K (no-hitter)
2/25/04 vs. UL Monroe 15K (one-hitter)
2/27/04 vs. Nevada 16K (no-hitter)
2/28/04 vs. Nevada 22K (nine innings, no-hitter)
3/6/04 at Florida State 15K (10 innings, three-hitter)
3/7/04 vs. St. John's 13K
3/16/04 vs. Texas State 10K
3/18/04 at CS-Fullerton 15K
3/19/04 vs. Princeton 14K (six innings, no hits allowed)
3/24/04 vs. Nicholls State 14K
3/24/04 vs. Nicholls State 11K
3/31/04 vs. Northwestern State 14K
3/31/04 at Northwestern State 12K (4 2/3 IP, no hits
allowed)
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS TOWARD NO. 1...
Currently with 804 strikeouts recorded in two-plus seasons and 101 appearances, junior ace hurler Brooke Mitchell is within striking distance of first place on the career list.
The Pasadena, Texas, native is 16 strikeouts shy from tying Kyla Hall (1991-94) for first place with 820 career strikeouts.
It took Hall 132 appearances to reach 820 strikeouts and did so in her senior season.
Mitchell is on pace to reach Hall's mark in her 103rd appearance and in her junior season.
She is just the second pitcher in program history (joining Hall) to record 800-plus strikeouts in a career. She reached the 800-strikeout plateau with her fourth strikeout in last Saturday's second game at New Mexico State.
Brooke Mitchell moved into second place on the school's all-time career strikeout list with her 613th career strikeout on Friday, Feb. 27 with her second strikeout against McNeese State.
She began the season with 443 strikeouts and has quickly soared to the top of the charts.
CAREER STRIKEOUTS TOP 5
1. Kyla Hall (1991-94)
820K
2. Brooke Mitchell (2002-pres.) 804K
3. Kim Eisnaugle (1983-86) 612K
4. Stefni Whitton (1987-90) 576K
5. Jennifer Clendenin (1993-97) 554K
MOVING UP THE CAREER VICTORIES LIST…
With her victory in game one of the Cajuns doubleheader against Nicholls State on Wednesday, March 24, Brooke Mitchell jumped past Kim Eisnaugle into sole possession of fifth place on the school's all-time career victories list with her 69th triumph.
Then in the second game, Mitchell collected her 70th win making her one of just five pitchers in program history to reach 70 wins.
Mitchell enters the doubleheader with Louisiana Tech needing just one (1) win to tie Jennifer Clendenin for fourth place and two (2) to take over sole possession of fourth.
Mitchell is three wins away from tying head coach Stefni Lotief for third place (78 wins) and nine (9) to tie former teammate Melissa Coronado for second.
Career Victories
1. 104 Kyla Hall
(1991-94)
2. 84 Melissa Coronado (1999-02)
3. 78 Stefni Whitton (1987-90)
4. 76 Jennifer Clendenin (1993-97)
5. 75 Brooke Mitchell (2002-present)
SINGLE-SEASON WIN RECORD IN SIGHT…
Given the fact that she has started 79 percent of the Cajuns games this season and already has 29 wins, Brooke Mitchell is on pace (and probably will) to set a new program record for single-season victories.
Former pitcher Melissa Coronado (1999-2002) holds the single-season record with 35 wins in 2001.
Mitchell tied her personal single-season best for victories with the second win of the Northwestern State doubleheader on March 31 which gave her 26 victories this season.
Then on Saturday, April 10 at New Mexico State, her win in the series opener created a new personal single-season best for victories with her 27th triumph of the season.
On Sunday, Mitchell cracked the Top 5 on the single-season victories list with her 29th win, tying Kyla Hall and Jennifer Clendenin for the fourth-most wins in a single season in program history.
Mitchell needs six (6) more wins to tie Melissa Coronado for the single-season record of 35 set in 2001 and would do so if the Cajuns go 6-0 this week and she picks up the decision in each game. . Single-Season Victories Top 5 1. 35 Melissa Coronado (2001) 2. 34 Cheryl Longeway (1996) 3. 31 Kyla Hall (1994) 4. 29 Kyla Hall (1993) 4. 29 Jennifer Clendenin (1997) 4. 29 Brooke Mitchell (2004)
HEBERT'S HOT HAND…
The junior walk-on and UL Lafayette's nine-hole hitter, Tiffany Hebert had arguably the best weekend of her career in the Cajuns sweep of New Mexico State.
She went 5-for-7 at the plate (.714 average) with two home runs, four RBI and four runs scored. She collected 11 total bases in seven at bats and ended the weekend with a 1.571 slugging percentage and .714 on-base percentage.
Hebert was 3-for-4 with three RBI in the Cajuns doubleheader sweep on Saturday.
Her performance at the plate this past weekend raised her season batting average 48 points from .162 to .210 and increased her season home run total to three.
The Breaux Bridge, La., native is currently leading the Sun Belt Conference for batting average in conference games only.
POWERFUL LINEUP AWAITS YOU...
Opposing pitchers will not have it easy this season when facing the Ragin' Cajuns lineup - all the way from top to bottom.
The Cajuns have hit 63 home runs through 39 games with 14 different players contributing including each player in the starting lineup. Last weekend, Tiffany Hebert, the nine-hole hitter, went yard twice.
Holly Tankersley leads the way with 11 dingers. Joy Webre is second with nine, Lacey Bertucci in third with eight (8) and Danyele Gomez, last season's leader with 20, has hit seven.
Over the last five games, the Cajuns have belted 12 home runs getting production for each spot in the lineup.
Desi Chatman's home run in Sunday's game at New Mexico State ensured the Cajuns that every rostered batter has at least one home run.
Last season the Cajuns had every one of its starting nine with at least one home run. That team went on to hit a school-record 79 dingers.
At the current pace of nearly 1.6 home runs per game, the Cajuns are on pace to hit 95 home runs through the end of the regular season (not counting the Sun Belt Tournament and NCAA Regionals, etc.) which would establish a new record for the third straight season.
GOOD EYES...
Cajun hitters have drawn 173 walks through 39 games so far this season - an average of 4.4 per game.
Brittany Bryant leads the way with 27 free passes after picking up a team-high four this past weekend in Las Cruces.
Tiffany Hebert is second with 26 walks. Holly Tankersley is tied with Hebert for second with 26 walks and a .496 on-base percentage. Hebert, Crystal George and Tankersley are the only Cajuns to have more walks than strikeouts.
Danyele Gomez (16), Crystal George (14) and Lacey Bertucci (13), Ashley Evans (11) and Joy Webre (10) have double-digit walks as well giving the Cajuns eight batters who have drawn 10-plus walks.
Hebert has 26 free passes to 24 strikeouts and sports a .418 on-base percentage. Crystal George and Holly Tankersley join Hebert as the three toughest to strikeout on the team George has 14 walks to just 11 strikeouts (73 at bats) while Tankersley has 26 walks and 21 strikeouts.
Tankersley has been struck out just once in the last six games.
OFF AND RUNNING...
The Cajuns 35-4 record through 39 games is the program's best start under head coach Stefni Lotief and the best since the 1993 team got off to the exact same start.
That season, the Cajuns went on to win a program-record 57 games.
THROUGH 39 GAMES UNDER
LOTIEF
2004 35-4
2003 33-6
2002 29-10
2001 32-7
MORE IS BETTER…
Through 39 games, UL Lafayette has 117 extra base hits. The Cajuns have hit 51 doubles, three triples and 63 home runs.
Holly Tankersley leads the way with 18 extra-baggers (7 doubles, 11 home runs).
Brittany Bryant, who had three doubles in the Northwestern State doubleheader, is a close second with 15 extra-baggers (7 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs).
Danyele Gomez, the team leader with eight doubles, is tied with Bryant at 15 extra base hits.
As a team, Louisiana-Lafayette has six players with at least five doubles.
FAST AND FURIOUS…
Opposing teams have often times found themselves behind the Cajuns on the scoreboard this season – early.
Louisiana-Lafayette has outscored its opponents 122-18 in the first three innings with 50 of those runs coming in the first inning. The Cajuns have outscored opponents 50-2 in the first inning through 39 games.
UL Lafayette is 31-1 when it scores first and has scored at least one run in the first inning of a game 16 times this season.
Last season the Cajuns outscored their opponents 187-37 in the first three innings.
Under head coach Stefni Lotief, the Cajuns are 157-9 (.946) when lighting up the scoreboard before the opponent does so.
FAST FACTS…
*Danyele Gomez enters the Louisiana Tech doubleheader riding a six-game hitting streak – the longest of the season for any Cajuns hitter. Gomez's longest hitting streak of her career was seven games set last season
*Danyele Gomez needs four RBI to reach 100 in her career and is just one hit away from the century mark.
* Brooke Mitchell needs one more win to reach 30 wins in a season for the first time in her career and to make her just the fourth pitcher in program history to reach 30 wins in a season. Melissa Coronado (35 in 2001), Cheryl Longeway (34 in 1996) and Kyla Hall (31 in 1994) are the only other pitchers in program history to reach 30 wins in a season.
*The Cajuns pitching staff has not allowed an earned run over the last 32 innings of play – a stretch of six straight games.
*After making eight errors in the first three games, the Cajuns have made just 17 in the last 36 and just two in the last 10 games.
*Junior shortstop Tiffany Hebert has not made an error in the last 19 games – a span of 35 chances (25 putouts, 10 assists).
*Brittany Bryant is two (2) runs from setting a new personal single-season best. She has 24 runs this season (scored 26 as a freshman in 2003). She is also two home runs shy of tying her personal single-season best of eight hit last year.
*As a team, the Cajuns need seven (7) more walks to tie the program record for walks in a season. Last season and in 2000 the Cajuns drew 180 free passes which is the current standard. UL Lafayette enters the La. Tech doubleheader with 173 walks.
*The Cajuns pitching staff's 418 strikeouts in a new program record, eclipsing the 403 recorded by the 1993 staff.
*Brooke Mitchell is 16 strikeouts from tying Kyla Hall's program career record of 820. She enters the La. Tech twinbill with 804 career strikeouts.
*Louisiana-Lafayette's pitching staff has posted 18 shutouts this season. The Cajuns have turned the trick in five of the last seven games.
*Over the last six games, Louisiana-Lafayette has racked up 54 hits, 39 runs, nine doubles and 12 home runs
*Twice this season the Cajuns have posted shutouts in both ends of a doubleheader.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
